Man sentenced to 22 years for beating, sexually assaulting a Rutgers student

The incident took place near College Avenue last year

Michael P. Knight, a 39-year-old man from Newark, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 22 years in a New Jersey state prison after admitting to the kidnapping and sexual assault of a Rutgers student in 2016.

The Daily Targum previously reported that the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) identified Knight as the suspect in the aggravated assault of an unidentified University student.

The investigation found that Knight followed the woman and attacked her near College Avenue and Seminary Place on the College Avenue campus, according to the press release.

Knight will be sentenced to 22 years in a New Jersey state prison and subject to the No Early Release Act, in result of last year's crime. This is under a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Allysa Gambarella, according to the press release.

As part of the sentence, Knight must register as a sex offender, serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole and undergo parole supervision for the rest of his life.

In May 2016, NJ Advance Media reported that Knight turned himself in after both his mugshot and the charges were released by authorities.

The investigation that lead to Knight being charged was lead by Detective Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez of RUPD and Detective George Stilwell of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The sentence is expected to be imposed by Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Paone at a hearing on March 5, 2018, according to the press release.

Ryan Stiesi

Ryan Stiesi is a School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in journalism and media studies and minoring in entrepreneurship. He is an Associate News Editor @ The Daily Targum.